At the risk of ofending a few folks I will spout off here and give you my opinion of what needs to happen for this show ever to be anything like it was intended. #1 The show is needs to be moved to Vegas #2 it should be in late OCT or NOV. #3 A cataloge needs to be printed with all manufactures listing SHOW ONLY SPECIALS and sent to every dealer 1 month before the show. #4 the show will be the deadline for all preseason order from all attending MFG’s #5 the show would be 4 days. day 1 media only. 2-4 buyers only!
The only way The FTD will get dealer suport is to make it a TRUE buyers show! If you don’t attend it will cost you BIG like 10% on all your rods reels and lines. You also need to have the show some place buyers would like to go. Vegas has a draw that no where else has.
This will take a lot of work on someones part BUT IT CAN BE DONE!
The reason that the show is losing MFG’s is not the cost, but the lack of orders at the show. The show was never intended for anyone but buyers (sorry LF and CW) at a good show the media is just a pain and in the way.
I am surprised that no one wanted to wiegh in on this the few MFG’s I talked to though the show stunk and need something done or just drop it completely.
I’m just a consumer but I know enough small shop owners to feel that a 10 percent penalty for not attending the show seems to be an unnecessary burden for small business owners that may have to choose between the expense of going to the show (transport, lodging, arrangements for children, closing the store, etc.) against a rate penalty for not attending. A couple of these are successful shops that have no employees, so going to the show requires shutting the doors for a couple of days. In one case, the proprieters have disabilities that would prevent them from attending.
Rich, most of your ideas mean extra expense for those involved. As tailingloop pointed out, it’s not easy for retailers to attend trade shows with the rising costs of travel and time lost. I also feel that nothing would be gained by penalizing anyone.
Cost is a big factor for exhibitors too. A four day show gets real expensive. Exhibitors not only pay for space and set up but for all the employee expenses. Some venues are more expensive than others as are the dates. Trade shows, in general, have been on the decline in recent years. The largest trade show ever, Comdex (computer industry), is no longer around.
I missed the show because it conflicted with a conference so I would liked to have seen it later. I have clients that couldn’t go because it was scheduled in a busy fishing time. I agree, a show like that should be scheduled later in the year if possible. Las Vegas as a venue would be good for me but would probably mean more expense to many.
As ‘working media’ it would be impossible for us to see all of our Sponsors, take photos, and take at look at all the new products in one day. We spent 3 days at the recent Denver Show, and did not get to see everything we wanted to see. Unlike many in the media, we are not there to sell our services, but to be able to update the Sponsor pages of those who do support FAOL.
Several of our Sponsors did mention the number of people attending the show was down,
they had an excellent show.
Vegas does seem to be an excellent venue, the ICast Show (from what we’ve heard) was excellent.
We do agree the timing of this last Denver show, and an even earlier one next year is not good. Later would be much better for us as well.
I was not clear about the 10% It would be an extra 10 off our already low prices The idea of a show special is so that the owner buyer can pay for his (her) show expencies in EXTRA SAVINGS. The show would then be a positive cash cow not an expence. as for the place, vegas is cheerer to get to and stay than any other I know. The Idea of a printed book a month ahead of time with the specials will give any buyer worth his salt
time to check inventories and per write most of his orders. They can be turned in the first day of the show allowing them 2 days to look at the new attendies goods. I do understand LF’s problem I don’t quite have an answer there. I do know if there are no buyers around while the media is there they can get alot more done in a day than if buyers are present.
Let’s see if I can clear things up a bit. I used to work in the retail archery business.
When we would go to the “Bow Show” in Indy in January (not a real good choice, but it was central) we would have a list of orders that we KNEW we would need for next year. We would program those orders, along with anything “new” we saw from our suppliers.
Those programmed orders would be shipped to us as we specified in the order. 10 bows here, 50 dozen arrows there, all shipped at different times through the year. We got discounts for the programmed orders, but didn’t have to pay for them until they were shipped to us. Most were “net 30” so we had 30 days from the ship date to pay. This gave the manufactures an idea of how many units they needed to manufacture rather than guessing at it.
We saved a ton of money. Way more than enough to pay for 3 of us to go to the show AND close the shop for two days. It was VERY cost effective, plus it was in the dead season for archery, so we didn’t loose anything keeping the shop closed.
Ken
There is a fine line between fly fishing and and just standing in a river looking like and idiot.
Rich, I agree that “show specials” are good ways to attract attendees and is common at trade shows.
When you said “If you don’t attend it will cost you BIG like 10% on all your rods reels and lines.” it sounded like a penalty.
I’ve attended over 40 trade shows in Las Vegas. I’ve been on all sides, exibitor, attendee and media. It is a great venue but don’t think it is cheap. Most visitors that don’t know how to find the bargain rooms, intended for gamblers, pay high prices. The bargain deals are geared toward people visiting to gamble.
Vegas tends to gouge exhibitors, not only with booth space prices but with extras like set up, phone lines, electrical, etc. I’ll bet it would cost a lot more than a place like Denver. During some trade shows hotel room prices triple, and don’t forget, employees often eat at restaurants outside of casinos (without long lines through rows of slot machines) or the expensive ones inside because they are on an expense account. Restaurants in Las Vegas are not cheap. Every extra day of exhibiting increases the total bill.
As I said, for me, it would be nice to see the show in Las Vegas after October. I hope it happens.
Joe
[This message has been edited by flyfisherjoe (edited 04 October 2005).]
I’ve been to a half-dozen IFTD shows, including Salt Lake City (ugh), as both MFR and buyer. The joys of the show depends on what side of the booth you’re on. I’d rather be a buyer than exhibitor any day. Set-up and tear-down is something I don’t miss.
A show as big as this is hard to cover in 3 days, but you can do it. The average fly shop can only carry so many brands of float tubes and fly lines, not to mention the ‘sundries’ category.
The industry is driven by reps, not the FTD show. The MFRs rep is the real source for the average shop, and most of them are good at it. You learn what’s going to be at the show from the sales rep, and you’ve probably seen most of it before you get to Denver. You have almost ceratinly discussed your pre-season order with them before the show. Yeah, it is nice to see Lefty, Dave and Joan, and to stand up there on the platform and show your stuff. When you get back, though, it will be your sals reps that keep you in touch with the industry. Most of them are pretty good gossips, too!
And you can keep Vegas. I liked Denver. Taking the long way home through Basalt is a lot nicer than counting your losses.